


Road to Stockholm

by DarkTrappedDesire



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Forced Relationship, Kidnapping, M/M, Mentions of incest, Stalking, Stockholm Syndrome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-10
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-16 20:39:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2283804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkTrappedDesire/pseuds/DarkTrappedDesire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The demon didn't know why a certain Belorussian man had decided to kidnap him. He didn't understand how he could have allowed him to! But, not everything was bad. If he dared to say it, he had found a paradise away from his old, boring life among humans... He was trapped, yes, but would he ever want to escape?<br/>Warnings: BL and Yaoi - Leave a review, please! Thank you!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Abduction

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Hetalia.  
> I do, however, own Ace and his family, plus this story.  
> Enjoy and leave a comment!

Ace sat at the laptop in his home, looking at the keys on the board but not really typing. Sure, he was supposed to be doing homework and a couple other things, but he just couldn't focus. He kept getting the oddest feeling that someone was watching him, but he knew for a fact that there weren't any cameras hidden anywhere - due to his slight paranoia he would always check thoroughly, at least once a month or more though no one noticed enough to count.

He knew that none of his family members were watching him either. The two middle-eldest were in one of their rooms together, while Raven kept insisting that Simon listen to some music with him and tried to teach him the lyrics. Why he bothered trying no one understood, since Simon had no interest in using his voice in any way rhythmical. He was pretty monotone compared to most people, not showing an emotion either unless it was something that actually called for it.

The smallest of the family - Alex - Ace's greatest treasure, was laying on his stomach on the floor of the living room, playing with the stuffed rabbit that Ace had gotten him who knows how long ago. The poor thing had more patches than fur on it now, and one button-eye missing, but Ace refused to take it away from the little one if he still wanted to keep it.

...

It was just him being paranoid again, he decided, returning to typing away on the key-board and focusing on that instead. He could swear there were eyes on the back of his head, but let it go for now, just getting his essay summed up nicely before distracting himself with a video or two on Youtube.

* * *

Ace let out a small yawn, arms stretching high above his head and his back arching as a cat's would, signalling that morning had just began. His day stared at 5 AM, so it was officially the beginning of the day, the end of their night, and time for him to take over his position as house-keeping little brother. He was about to get up when his phone suddenly vibrated on the table next to his and Alex's bed. He grunted softly from still being tired, and flipped it open, seeing the simple message.

_**[Good morning.]** _

That was all it read, and Ace was subtly confused. How would someone know exactly when he woke up? It said that the message was sent to him only seconds ago, so he knew it wasn't delayed or anything of that sort.

_It must be a coincidence. I've never seen this number in my life, and it has an area code all the way from Belarus! There are tons of people with insomnia, maybe someone over there is suffering and typed the number wrong._

Ace took a deep breath as he nodded to himself, then yawned once more and turned off his phone. Why bother to keep it on when no one was going to message him anyway? It was his day off from work, official work at least, and he would relax indefinitely until tomorrow.

* * *

Today Ace was at the market, him having made a meal that was much bigger than he had first intended and using a lot of ingredients. It wasn't a mystery why their fridge was now almost completely empty, besides some junk food that he refused to touch.

He grabbed a few things; fruits, vegetables, some spices that he could use for their dinner tonight if his family didn't insist on eating the left-overs that caused him to be there in the first place. Everything was peaceful, children scurrying around, worrying their parents by going out of sight for a second too long and having them wonder where they were before they reappeared and promised to hold their guardian's hand. Ace smiled, feeling pleased that Alex was obedient and didn't scurry from his side like that at all, knowing that Ace would be more worried than any other time in their lives.

The teen continued his shopping, faintly feeling a buzz emerge in his pocket from the hand-held device seated there. The ravened-brunette pulled it out, flipping it open to see he'd gotten a text.

_**[Don't forget your coffee.]** _

Ace pondered the message, wondering if someone he knew sent this. When he looked at the number, it didn't have a contact name like usual, and it didn't look frighteningly familiar.  _Wait, it's that Belarusian number again.. Maybe they programmed it into their phone wrong? Oh well, better set this straight._

_**[Excuse me, but I think you have the wrong number. If someone gave this number to you, then they tricked you. Sorry.]** _

It wasn't in his nature to be considerate, but he didn't want to be a jerk to anyone either. He shoved the phone back into his pocket, and then kept passing stands he saw, noticing that one was selling caffeine packets.  _Now that I think about it, didn't we use the last scoop of coffee grounds yesterday..?_  The ravened-brunette got what he needed and left the market, casting a slightly uneasy glance at his phone before returning home.

* * *

Ace was once again on his laptop, scrolling through some fan-art of an anime that Parker had suggested he should watch, and decided to dabble a bit to see if any of the characters were hot. As he was on, he glanced to the side of the screen where ads are and noticed that it depicted a very beautiful woman model in a white gown, holding a bouquet to simply display a wedding theme without looking at any of the words on it. He hummed slightly, wondering why people put so much thought into something that was really only meant for the two people to truly experience.

He got distracted from his phone buzzing, and grabbed it to see the message.  _Oh for fuck's sake, it's that number again._

_**[You would make a most beautiful bride. Don't you think?]** _

Ace was officially stunned. He couldn't comprehend who would know such a little thing as what ad he'd just happened to glance at on his laptop, and was completely frozen in place. His shining mint eyes glanced around uneasily, looking straight out of the sliding doors that lead to the outside balcony of his family's apartment. There was a building across from them obviously, but he couldn't pin-point where someone was looking at him from. He finally got over his shell-shock and looked back down at his cell-phone.

_**[Who are you?]** _

It was a simple question, but Ace wanted to know. Now. Who could have the skill to track an underground assassin without their knowledge? Did they know that about him too? Had they followed him on missions, or seen him in the shower, or watched him and his precious little angel, Alex, while they slept? Ace shuddered at the last thought in particular. He could handle being in danger alone, but not if it got his family into serious trouble.

The ravened-brunette nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone buzzed once more, letting him know that he'd gotten a reply.

_**[Just an admirer of profound beauty. Would you like to admire it with me? I could get you a lovely full length mirror.]** _

The teen almost wretched, thinking of himself as anything but beautiful, or even modestly good-looking. He was typing something into his phone when it buzzed again, making him exit to check the newest message.

**_[Won't you please look outside? I would love to admire the clouds with you, I already know how much you love the rain and all that.]_ **

Ace stopped instantly, his eyes locked onto the screen.  _No.. No, they're not there. There was no one there a second ago, there can't be anyone now. They probably mean just from wherever their hiding, right? We all live under the same sky and all that, right?_  Ace could tell he was slightly shaking, but he tried to gulp down the apprehension and chance a look outside. His pupils narrowed when they were met with a new, yet unwelcome, sight.

A tall male, who looked well built, well, from what he'd been able to tell. It was hard to see from the long trench-coat that was covering him, edged with black fur on the neck and wrists. The man was topped with silvery hair, and purple-ish blue eyes that pierced through him, making him feel almost vulnerable just from them being turned in his direction.

 _Have to get away._  That was the first thing to come to his head, and he bolted up, sprinting for the room that his family could never enter because he sealed it with a spell, and only he could get in or out without permission. If he got there, then he could close the door so it instantly locked, and then call his family from there to tell them not to come home, and to call the police. He didn't get the chance though; the second he got his hand wrapped around the door-knob to enter his and Alex's room, there were arms wrapped around him tightly and a rag over his mouth and nose that had an odd scent, almost indescribable.  _No.._

"Time for rest. Just relax and all be better soon." came a baritone voice that would haunt him for who knows how long, as the edges of his vision darkened and he soon lost consciousness.


	2. A Caged Bird

The youngest of the four elder siblings sighed, looking up at the eldest of the family with slight annoyance as they traveled. "Raven, you can't force Ace to join your band. I've told you a dozen times - if you push him to open up, he's going to end up further from us than before. That's how it works with introverts, especially ones as secretive as he is." Simon chided, watching Raven roll his ruby eyes, along with the older two oldest in the family. Alex was skipping along ahead of them, stopping at the corner of the street to wait for his family to catch up as they all went back home from going to the movie theater.

"Whatever. Hey Alex, did you like the movie?" Jace asked the smallest, seeing Alex nod and giggle to him with a bright smile. "Yeah, it was great! Can we buy it once it's on DVD so bro-bro can watch it with us?" the innocent asked, getting a smile from all of them and agreement.

They finally got to their apartment complex and, since Alex was still bursting with energy from having sat still during the whole movie, they gave him the keys to get into their home as he skipped up the stairs ahead of them, only tripping once. The brothers chattered with each other as they approached more slowly, finally getting to the top of the staircase that went to their floor. Seeing Alex standing at the top in front of them and staring at something, the keys still firmly clutched in his hands, they wondered what was stopping him from going up to their door.

"Hey Alex, what's wrong?" Parker asked him, trotting up the stairs and looking as well, turning his head to see the door to their home slightly opened. "Did you unlock the door already?" he asked instead, seeing the little one clutch the keys tighter and shake his head. Parker looked at the others that had just joined them, and Raven - being the oldest - went first to the door and cautiously opened it, taking in the surroundings of their home.

Besides the front door being opened, he could tell that something was wrong. When he looked inside he could see that the sliding glass door had a hole struck in it - directly next to the handle. It looked like the glass had been punched in harshly, and the glass shards were laying on the inside of the door for a couple inches. A couple feet away was Ace's phone, laying open on the floor and facing the door that led to Ace and Alex's room. "This is bad." Simon muttered, standing directly next to Raven. "He'd never leave the house without his phone, and the glass.. He couldn't have done that himself."

The family went into their home, glancing around to see if anything was taken, but it seemed everything was in tact. Finally a gasp was heard, and they turned to see Parker, holding Ace's phone, still open, and staring at the screen. "Guys, you need to see this..." the light-haired teen muttered, showing the screen to Simon as he walked up.

There on the screen was all the texts from the strange number that Ace had received, and there was a last message that had not been viewed before.

_**[Now we'll be together forever, my lovely bride.]** _

* * *

Ace's eyes opened slowly, a groan coming from the back of his throat as everything was wavering and his head felt a bit too light. He shut his eyes again, instantly regretting it when his stomach rolled on itself. Lucky for him, he hadn't eaten anything that day, so he was running on empty and didn't have anything to rid himself of. The relief was short lived when he realized that could definetly have something to do with what he imagined wasn't a dream.

He tried to decipher where he was without actually opening his eyes again, but he didn't get many hints. The floor underneath him was cold and smooth, and he could tell that he was in a very large area from the noises bouncing off the walls and resounding. Sadly, Ace decided that he would never get a full picture of this place unless he opened his eyes to see it. The ravened-brunette slid himself into a sitting position and slowly twitched his eyes open to glance around without getting dizzy.

His first assumptions were correct, him seeing that the floor was made of white, red and green tiles that made an odd diamond-based design. The room he was in was also quite big, him being stuck in what looked to be a huge cage, big enough to fit three full grown elephants standing on top of each other into. On three sides of the cage were walls, and on the fourth side was what looked to be a giant red curtain. Like the ones you would see at a theater or opera house. Ace assumed that where his cage is, there would have been seats. As he looked up to the top of his cage, he noticed that there seemed to be a swing hanging from the center, one that was wide enough for him to sit on normally or sideways with comfort, and held up by new-looking ropes.

The only thing the teen could manage to think up was;  _What the fuck am I doing here? What's the deal with this cage, too..?_

He looked down at himself, noticing that there was no form of bond to keep him immobile or restrained, so he stood up slowly and looked at his cage. He realized there was no way for him to get out of it; no door, no person-wide gap or anything of the sort. "How did he get me in here?" Ace wondered aloud, looking up at the swing and using his demonic skill to get up to it, hovering for a second over the seat before his feet made contact. He wrapped his hands around the ropes so he wouldn't fall. Even if he wasn't quite human, he didn't want to fall down and have his head hurt even more later on.

From his new vantage point, it was clear to see just how big the room was, looking like a fall from his height could kill anyone on contact. The only thing to see in the room was the curtain and it ticked him off slightly, wondering how anyone got in or out of the room, or even his cage for that matter. There must be a stage-door somewhere behind the curtain, but to not have a basic door to enter from... Either the architect was a fucking idiot or the one that brought him here was smart enough to have them professionally removed.

"Seriously, who in their right mind would even build this? There's no point if no one can get in or out.." he grumbled aloud, this time hearing a voice answer him. There was movement from behind the curtain and then his captor came out from the left side, looking rather small from where Ace was. Looked like he was right about the stage door.. Either way, Ace knew quite well that the man was much larger than himself when up-close, being almost two-heads taller in fact. He could still feel this creep's arms wrap around him to hold him back, and it made him shiver in discomfort.

"Do you like your new home, waifu?" the man asked, getting an odd look from Ace - somewhere between pissed and utterly confused.

"Alright, one! Who the fuck are you and where am I? Two, don't call me that!" Ace growled, using his skill again and stepping off of the swing, gracefully free-falling to the ground and hovering above it for a second before he lightly dropped onto the ground in the center of the cage. The man looked entranced by what Ace had just done, until he shook his head slightly to focus.

"Why can't I? You are my wife, after all." the man replied, blatantly ignoring the first question. Ace grimaced with displeasure at the one before him, taking his form in once again. "I'm not your wife, I'm a man! Besides, I don't know who the hell you are! Now state your name and your reason for kidnapping me!" Ace demanded, not sounding as vicious as he would have liked in the situation.

The silver haired man studied him for a moment, stepping up to the edge of his cage silently and extending his hand through the bars. "Name is Nikolai Arlofsky. I took you so that we marry." the man stated bluntly, his face blank the whole time. Ace's eyes hardened, though they were overpowered by the unsettling look in the other man's. That gaze still cut through him, and though he wasn't scared of it like he assumed most people were, it still left him feeling vulnerable, one of the worst feelings he knew.

"Again, I'm a man. We can't get married. I wouldn't want to be your wife if it was possible, anyway. I don't know you and I don't care to." Ace said, refusing to take the hand extended to him.

"We marry any time. In Sweden is legal." Nikolai replied, seeming unfazed, with his hand still held out through the bars like it could stay there forever.

"Wait a minute.. We're in Sweden?" Ace deadpanned, looking Nikolai in the eyes. The Belarusian nodded silently. "How did you get me all the way to Sweden without anyone noticing that I'm unconscious?!" Ace gaped, logic flying as far out the window as possible now.  _I was just in Japan... Japan! How could he.. How could I not.._

The teen shook his head as he tried to figure out how he could have been kept quiet and sedated through the whole flight there, it being more than enough hours for him to wake up.  _...He must have kept making me drink something. It's not that hard to force down water for someone not conscious.._

"Have connections. Quite simple, when planned out." Nikolai announced, curling his fingers slightly to show he wanted Ace closer, and not having anything else to do, Ace allowed it to some extent as he took a step towards him. He took care to stay out of Nikolai's range, though.

"Well.. Why the hell do you want  ** _me_**  as your wife? There are plenty of women and men that I'm sure would  **love**  to be betrothed to you." Ace said, not sure if what he said was true or not. Yes, Nikolai was one of the most attractive people he's seen for a while, and not knowing the standards in Sweden probably widened that perspective, but his eyes were almost enough to drive anyone away - especially with how he was acting.

"None of them are you." Nikolai muttered, quieter than he'd been for the duration of the conversation, withdrawing his hand finally and wandering back to where he had entered.

"Hey! Where are you going? Let me out of here this instant!" Ace demanded, pressing himself to the bars and glaring in Nikolai's direction with intent to kill. The demonic teen tried to pry the bars apart, using his inhuman strength even, but not getting anywhere with his effort.  _What the hell are these bars made of!?_  Nikolai glanced back at him as he swept the curtain to the side so he could step passed them.

"Get rest. Should be comfortable in your new home." he said quietly, before exiting the room completely and leaving Ace to watch the spot where he disappeared, his hands wrapped around the metal bars that trapped him. "Yeah, 'get rest' he says.. I want to get the hell out." Ace muttered, releasing the bars and looking around for somewhere to rest. There wasn't any furniture or anything in the cage except for his swing, so he leapt up to it again - sitting on it sideways and leaning his head back onto the thick rope - pondering what he could do to get out and get home as quickly as possible.


	3. Oh Brother

Jace sat at the kitchen table, looking at each of his family members in turn. Yesterday, after they discovered their home in such a worrisome state, they had called the police to see if they could help them. The police came quickly, taking notes and pictures and evidence of everything they could - asking all of the family what they knew. The family had handed over Ace's cell-phone to the police so they could trace where the texts were coming from - but not before Simon wrote down all of the contacts listed there.

Simon was currently sitting on the couch, staring at his hands with a deep frown on his face. Raven was trying to comfort him, but wasn't getting very far since he himself felt like he'd failed in the task of being the eldest brother - not even being able to protect his own sibling. Parker was sitting in the lazy chair they owned, looking almost like Simon but his gaze was towards the ceiling, and his usually bright clothes were switched out for some rather dingy looking ones that looked like they hadn't been worn in ages, and were purely a last resort outfit.

Out of all of them, Alex was the worst off. The smallest of the family was in his room, clutching the photo album that Simon had given him and his older brother as a present, crying his little eyes out as everyone wondered where their missing piece of the family was hidden. They wanted to comfort their little brother, but none of them knew what to say. Alex, if anything, was always the one to cheer them up and keep Ace happy - none of them expected that without Ace there the little one wouldn't know what to do with himself. It was heartbreaking, but it couldn't be helped until they figured out where their brother had been taken to.

Jace ran a hand over his face, getting angry from all of them sitting there and not doing anything while they wait for the police to tell them they either found their brother, or that it was a lost cause. The honey-blonde stood up abruptly, a serious look on his face. "Simon, where did you put that contact list?" he asked, getting a confused look and a gesture that he assumed meant Simon's room. The teen walked into Simon's room, rummaging around for a bit until he found it, then went out into the living room to grab the phone.

"Jace, what do you think your doing?" Parker sniffled, the family realizing for the first time that the other had tears streaming down his cheeks. It was rare for any of them to cry really, all being upbeat and friendly people, but Parker was always the most out-going of the older four, looking to a bright side whenever possible.

"The police are useless, ya know? If they don't find something within a week... They're just gonna forget about him and tell us to move on. I don't want to do that.." Jace muttered, dialing the first number on the list hurriedly. "The least we can do to help find him is ask his close friends for help." with that, he began asking the unknown people on the other line for help and telling them what had happened to the little Brit.

* * *

"Time for breakfast, waifu." Nikolai called out from below, Ace's eyes twitching from the sudden noise and he groggily rubbed at his eyelids with the back of his palms to wipe away the sleep. "Wh.. What?" Ace mumbled, glancing around him and then suddenly gripping onto the swing as he felt himself sway from the action, temporarily forgetting his kidnapping. Then, once he looked down the height of his cage and saw Nikolai at the bottom, firmly holding a silver tray in his hands, silver hair falling into his eyes as he looked up at his 'waifu', it all came back.

The teen frowned deeply and turned his head away. "I'm not hungry." he denied, glaring off at nothing, and faintly noticing a small window near the top of the wall that he could see the sky from. It was considerably dark, some stars still out, but even he could notice the steady shade of day coming into view.

"Waifu must eat, so he can have energy for wedding." Nikolai called up, earning a heated glare from Ace. "And just when the hell is this 'wedding' supposed to take place, hm!?" Ace demanded, nearly seething - but his temper faded quickly with the answer he received.

"Whenever you'll accept me." was Nikolai's honest response, his face still set at focused neutrality, and his usually piercing eyes softening considerably.

"I'm still not hungry." Ace defied, after a pregnant pause was left between them. He looked straight ahead, outside the window that showed him a small cube of the world he couldn't reach from here. Nikolai was now only in the corner of his vision. "I shall wait for hunger to come then." Nikolai relented, setting the tray down directly next to the edge of the bars - Ace now noting that he would probably be able to fit through them with his small form, if not for the extra bars making an intricate design all around it.

Nikolai was standing a couple feet away from the cage after that, still watching his every move and studying him contently - looking like he thought, if he left it there and was just far enough away, then Ace would hop down and accept the offering without further complaint. That didn't happen though, and for a half an hour, Nikolai and Ace stayed in their set positions for that time in silence.

Nikolai was a split second away from turning and leaving the room completely, when Ace's voice reached his ears. "Why do you want me?" Ace asked earnestly, his eyes still locked on the window that showed him the day time.

"I already answered. Because you're you." Nikolai replied honestly, silently pleading for his waifu to look at him.

"That's not good enough." Ace decided aloud, making Nikolai's eyebrows lower almost invisibly. "Why not?"

"Because I'm me. There's nothing remarkable about me, except for how much of an ass I am. You don't look like the guy who enjoys that type of person." The ravened-brunette frowned at the window, seeing a cloud cover half of the blue sky he wanted to be out in.

"Alright, give more specific reason.. I feel same pain." Nikolai called quietly, making Ace strain to hear him and then look at him finally, in honest confusion.

"What do you mean 'same pain'? I didn't have any pain before you showed up." Nikolai locked eyes with him and Ace could swear he saw a sad smile grace his features, but it was gone before he could be sure. "I also love brother, though mine is older and more persistent to deny than little one you fawn over. We both share love that's wrong, and both are saddened. Can tell from look in your eyes when you watch him play, or smile, or run off with one of other family.. I know how you feel all too well." Nikolai continued, his eyes showing that he wasn't lying, and for a moment Ace felt the pain that Nikolai had described - that he had been feeling for as long as Alex had been alive and breathing.

"You don't know what you're talking about.." Ace rasped out, flinching slightly from how weak his voice had come out. He cleared his throat to make it better, but Nikolai kept speaking. "Know that two broken parts make good fix. I only have wedding when I'm wanted, don't want to make you sadder than already are.. I'm very patient." Nikolai muttered, turning away and heading behind the large curtain and out of Ace's sight, leaving the teen to sit and think on his lonesome - now keeping his gaze at the food that Nikolai had left him, instead of the world outside that didn't seem quite as important.


	4. Falling

After nearly a week from when Ace was first stuck in his cage, he concluded that he'd tried everything to get out. He'd tried using all of his powers, but none of them seemed to have an affect on the bars, and something was making it so he couldn't place himself on the outside of cage either. He was very displeased to admit that he was at Nikolai's mercy, but he kept up a strong front towards the older man.

When Nikolai would offer him food, he would refuse and not take any of it no matter how much his stomach growled at him. Nikolai offered him water, and he usually refused but after two days he took a couple sips of the glass and left the rest on the edge of his cage. He also noticed that on occasion he would wake up to find something left on the inside of his cage, or see something he left on the inside now on the outside of the cage instead. That meant there had to be some kind of gate or door, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find it. Ace had even tried to stay awake for hours on end, just to see how Nikolai got in and out of the cage, but after so long, he couldn't stop himself from falling asleep. Demons usually didn't need sleep, but that was when they were in top condition, meaning fed and not thirsty for long periods of time. And, as expected, when he woke up again things were changed around from where they were prior.

_Dammit, why does he have to be so frustrating!?_  Ace kept cursing at the man in his head for hours on end, constantly muttering things of how he'd bring the man's death. He kept silent around the man to try and guilt him into doing something, maybe being ignored would have a different effect than being denied? ... Nope, that didn't work either. Whenever he ignored the man, Nikolai would begin talking to him quietly and pause for responses, simply continuing when he got none.

This kept up for three days, the teen growing more irritated with his captor by the minute and wishing he could just contact somebody, anybody. Why his boss hadn't shown up, at least to check up on him, was a mystery to him until the thought of anti-tracking popped into his mind. If the demon couldn't use magic to get out, maybe his boss couldn't use magic to find him either...  _Damn, just another thing to worry about. Hopefully Rix won't be too pissed with me for not attending my missions. It's not like I have a choice here.._ _  
_

Three more days and he started to lose the part of him that begged for Nikolai to perish. He was hungry, he was thirsty, he was even downright lonely! He missed his family, his brothers and his friends. He wanted to see them again and laugh with them, and cook for them and all that good shit that he did when he was home... But he was stuck here with no real way out that he could see except to give in to the man. But from the short, one-sided conversations they'd had, he could tell Nikolai wasn't dumb. He was intelligent and he wouldn't be fooled with some false words and fake smiles to get him to go with his wishes. It wouldn't work and once Ace figured that out, he was numb.

When he saw the man's face, he could remember the look of understanding and sadness from when Nikolai told him they shared the same pain of unrequited, socially taboo love. It was so honest and delicate, there was no way that what Nikolai said was anything but the truth. Ace almost wanted to smack himself for the realization, but he was starting to trust Nikolai, at least the tiniest bit. The Belorussian came to bring him food daily, with sweets and sometimes gifts that the demon had been too keen on ignoring as of his entire visit. The man showered him with compliments and spoken affection, despite the severe threats he got in return, without fail since the day he got there. Ace also realized, even if he searched constantly and demanded to be let free, he didn't feel like he was very trapped here.

Yes, he didn't have much to do in the cage and there wasn't any comfortable furniture for him; but he liked speaking with Nikolai for the short amounts of time, seeing how honest he was no matter what subject he was discussing, and how purely he wanted to care for Ace. There were actually a lot of things about him that had made Ace slowly, silently, worryingly, comfortable in this place.

One would be his looks. Simple to say, the man was gorgeous even if Ace had no inclination to point it out. And Nikolai, no matter how annoyed, angry or fatigued Ace looked, would always be persistent. He refused to call Ace anything other than 'waifu'. He would also refuse to stop coming to the very edge of Ace's cage, well within range for the demon to get near him and lash out in anger, causing him severe pain. Within reason, Nikolai obviously didn't believe that he would be harmed by his captive, and he was correct. If anything, Ace could say that he was the most determined and frighteningly confident human-being he'd ever met.

Ace had then discovered, coincidentally, on his thirteenth day there that the man wasn't a human as all, but instead a personification. One that was immortal; wavering and changing and adapting and growing along with the country they represented. It now made sense to him why the man had a Belorussian area-code for his phone despite currently being in Sweden. He IS the Republic of Belarus. Unless the country collapsed on itself, Nikolai would never fade from existence either, which made Ace open up a bit more. He didn't get to meet very many others who had to endure the same pain of immortality. The demon guessed that was another shared pain of theirs that Nikolai had not felt like bringing to attention, to spare the Brit's memories.

Then there was another thing. No matter how capable Ace made himself look, and how much he refused to be waited on, Nikolai still made him feel special from his mind-set of taking care of his wife to the fullest extent.

Ace was a demon, something that had killed people, kidnapped them much more harshly than he was experiencing, and severely mutilated those people's minds until they were begging for him to use his hand and end them completely. He'd done things people would think are horrid and unjust, and he should get locked into a mental ward/prison for committing them - some of them, that really happened for. But still, Nikolai insisted that he take care of Ace and nurture him like he was a small delicate flower that would be trampled by some wild beast if left alone for too long.

It was the sweetest, and most annoying, thing Ace has ever had to endure. Yet as much as he hated himself for it, his heart beat faster every time Nikolai treated him that way.

Once when Ace was left alone for a couple hours, he'd gotten to thinking of Alex and his family, and how they must be missing him. He also thought about how much he missed them. It was hard spending one whole day without Alex, and now he's been gone for so much longer. It didn't feel right.

He was here being taken care of - in a way - while his baby brother was back home, alone in their bed at night, probably wondering if Ace was dead or not. Nikolai had come to speak with him during this train of thought, and for the first time, a semi-guilty thought crossed his mind. It didn't sit right with him, everything he'd worked so hard on for centuries, all the memories with Alex by his side coming to his mind and being dimmed in comparison to the new future he could imagine with the man that captured him.

_Would it really be so wrong to stay with someone I could truly be with?_


	5. Free From Hell

By now, it had been a little over 2 weeks since Ace's kidnapping, and the ravened-brunette was bored out of his mind. Simply sitting on his swing and using it the way it was meant to be for once, instead of as a sleeping area or a place to look out his window and see the stars. Since his first couple days there, Nikolai had snuck into his cage once more and brought something much better for him to sleep in, some sort of hamock thought it didn't sway back and forth. It was more like a loft in the demon's opinion, it spreading out in four directions and tying to the bars of his cage tightly to keep him suspended in the air. Since he'd never complained about being so high up all the time, Nikolai had assumed he'd enjoyed it and kept him safely above the ground with things like this.

The behavior was odd, along with most things the man did for him, but he ignored it. He focused more on figuring out how Nikolai had gotten inside once more.  _Why can't I figure this out? There has to be some kind of device somewhere.._ The teen gave up after searching what he thought was every inch and every crevice, sighing heavily and considering that, now that Nikolai was inside the cage with him, he could threaten him with murder and demand to be let out.

It was a good plan, obviously, one that had a chance of working, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it at the moment. In his time there, he'd gotten considerably closer with Nikolai, not constantly snapping at him when the Belorussian called him his 'waifu', or constantly asking him to let him outside, even for a breath of fresh air or to feel the rain on his pale skin. It was a lost cause anyway, so why bother?

Even his sense of humor had changed a bit in his time there. He had once joked about things the way most people did; saying a couple lines, point out a flaw, making voices to go with random conversations he'd heard. He could still do that, obviously, but in the time there the two males had gotten around to talking about bad experiences they'd seen or committed. Ace being a demon, Nikolai wasn't surprised to hear about the murderous escapades of his past that had slowed down as he aged out of the devious, juvenile urges his kind felt while growing. At least for now... He wasn't quite sure if those urges came back after some time or not, since other demons were hard to come by in everyday, boring life, but he almost wished they would come back to give him something to look forward to.

Now, his jokes weren't considerably funny or even meant to be. The two would bring up something they disliked and relate it to something awful one of them had done or seen, something getting run over, beaten, drowned on 'accident' by a certain someone while playing. It was all very distasteful, and as the two got closer, the more amusing the pair found it. If his brothers could see him now... Ace avoided the thought.

* * *

Ace sighed, slowing his swinging considerably and looking at where Nikolai would usually come in to greet him every day. It had been another day since the demon had began to consider the personified nation a 'friend', and yet his 'caretaker' hadn't come in once that day. From the window Ace could see through, it was already past noon. After he recognized this for the third time, he felt a sliver of worry go through him.

_What if he went out, and they arrested him for kidnapping?_  The demon began thinking to himself. He didn't think that he cared for the man, but Nikolai was his only source of food, water and possibly escape.  _Would anyone suspect him of it? I must have been reported missing at some point, but we're in a totally different country, and he doesn't look dangerous! I mean, he looks kind of intimidating.. But they can't arrest someone for being intimidating, can they?_  Now Ace was freaking out, and he was very sure that a part of the room was spinning.

Maybe his swing hadn't fully stopped and he didn't notice. More thoughts raced in his head, and he began feeling a bit shaky, chills going up his spine and through his veins.  _Wh-What if he was out getting something and he got hit by a car? Or he got mugged?_

The demon's chest got a bit tighter, and he bit his lip despite making it even harder for himself to breathe. His breaths were becoming shorter as he curled in on himself atop the swing, clinging onto the ropes tightly for support he didn't have.

_Or he decided I wasn't worth his time and he's just leaving me here to wither away!_  By now Ace was gasping for air. Abandonment issues were never far behind in his mind, having been left behind quite a few times in his life by people he hated and even people he loved. It was always lingering, and now that he was, as much as he hated it.. dependent on someone.. he couldn't help but feel like he had literally been left to die. After another moment of worrying and gasping for oxygen, he suddenly was unable to fill his lungs with what he desperately needed and he clawed at his neck with numb fingers, not knowing quite when they had began to feel cold along with the rest of him.

_He wouldn't do that! He's sweet and caring, and he loves me! He told me so! I-I.. He.._  The room was spinning faster now, and he didn't know what was going on or if he could even hold on. He was pretty sure that he had no breath left in him, and the spinning slowed down as the feeling of something stable underneath him vanished and he was left falling.

**"Ace!"**

* * *

There was a sharp pain in his head, one that hit with every sound he heard though he kept trying to figure out what he was hearing.  _Was someone speaking? Maybe. It's all fuzzy still. My ears are ringing.. "What happened?"_

"You had panic attack." came the answer, making him realize that he had spoken the last one out loud. Mint eyes glanced around slightly, still making sense of the world around him and finding where he was. When everything cleared up, he realized there weren't any bars to be seen; not his window, or his swing, or the pretty patterns on the floor that he would look at from his perch. He was in a large bed, probably big enough to fit 5 people in, and under soft sheets that hugged him. He felt around him and thought that the sheets were fuzzy too, but when he looked - he realized that Nikolai had taken off his coat, for the first time ever, and had draped it on Ace for extra comfort. Ace felt his cheeks heat up from this realization and looked at Nikolai discreetly, noticing that the assumption from their first encounter - nearly forgotten from all the caring he'd received from the man next to him - was right. Nikolai really was well built, it was easy to see with him wearing a deep purple top that fit him perfectly to show all of his muscle.

Ace blushed more when he caught himself checking Nikolai out in such a way, but when he looked up to his captor's face, there was a very rare smile. It was shallow and barely there, but he was showing one, so it must mean he was truly happy. "Was scared when you fell off the swing. Caught you in time so you weren't hurt too bad, but you wouldn't wake up. Was so worried.." Nikolai trailed off, his smile got smaller but stayed where it was.

Ace really didn't know what to say or how to thank him for catching him, so he stayed silent and Nikolai must have taken that as an invitation to join in the silence. "You took me out of my cage." Ace pointed out suddenly, still confused by this fact. Nikolai looked up at him again, and seemed a bit sad, the smile now completely gone. "Yes, I did.. Ace, I love you, truly. That's why, if you want to leave, then go.. No cage to stop you now." Nikolai announced, seeing a burst of shock come onto Ace's features. He leaned in and pressed his lips to Ace's forehead, one of the first physical contacts between them that Ace was awake for, and wasn't scared to let happen.

He stayed there for a second, and then stood up, turning to walk out the door. Ace glanced down at the coat in his hands and pressed it against his face, curling his legs into himself as well while he wavered for a second. The scent stuck on the coat smelled like the sweet food Nikolai always brought him, the outside world that Ace hadn't seen in a long time even if he didn't bother with that fact anymore, and it smelled of.. Nikolai, and that's the only way to describe it. He'd knew by heart what the other man smelled like by now, in the least creepy way possible... He just had a very good sense of smell, and Nikolai had a scent that stood out, definitely.

"Wait." he muttered, almost thinking Nikolai couldn't hear him with the coat covering his mouth, though he was wrong. Nikolai turned his head just enough to see Ace, thinking he was going to hear a goodbye. "You love me, don't you?" Ace asked suddenly, getting a surprised glance from the Belarusian. The older nodded slowly, but surely. "Nikolai.." There was a long pause after the demon said his name, neither knowing what to say or how to break it without making things feel worse in this moment. Nikolai didn't rush him to say anything as Ace struggled for words, biting his lip behind the fabric shield he had taken from his captor. The two looked at each other, Ace uncovering his face a bit as he looked determined, though still a bit confused.

"I don't want to leave."

Nikolai turned towards him fully, his mouth slightly open from confusion and his eyes were a tad wider than usual. "What do you mean?" Ace looked up at him, giving him a small smile before motioning for him to come a bit closer, which the Belorussian didn't say no to. Once the silver-haired man was close enough, he began hugging him tightly, the only small barrier between them being the man's coat as Ace tried to get the rest of his words out.

"Nikolai, I don't want to go back to being lonely. I want to stay here. I miss Alex, and all my family, I do! ...But if I go back, then they're going to try and take you away from me, and I'll never be able to be with Alex the same way we can be together.." Ace stammered out, feeling like he was rambling but not being able to stop as his gaze went to his hands and stayed there, not sure what face Nikolai would be making towards him, if any emotion was there at all.

Ace restarted, putting a hand on the necklace he never took off, finding comfort before looking Nikolai in the eyes again. "I may not be all that you keep saying I am, but I can still make you happy by staying... Right?" Ace asked quietly, having a steady voice for the first time since he woke up. Nikolai stood there in a daze for a moment, then he sat at Ace's side and held him tightly, keeping him close and still treating him like he was delicate.

"(Thank you)дзякуй. (I love you)Я люблю цябе.." Nikolai whispered, squeezing him slightly tighter before he let go and kissed Ace on the lips for the first time. It ended too quickly for Ace's tastes, but he didn't complain - he was still getting what he wanted. "I'll do anything for you, I swear." Ace vowed, stealing another kiss and allowing Nikolai to carry him to the bathroom so the man could clean himself up along with his new British lover, fawning over him and coddling him now that he had the permission. New clothes were given to him, Ace being stuck in the ones he'd been brought in since previously he'd refused to wear the odd assortments that Nikolai had bought for him. Now he didn't mind, thinking that they were bought with him and only him in mind, so he would learn to like them. He would put up with anything for Nikolai, just like Nikolai would get and do anything and everything for his precious captive.


	6. Off Towards Home

Ace sat in his bungalow, humming softly and smiling like an idiot. For the last three days, him and Nikolai had hit it off. The two were nearly inseparable when Nikolai came to see him, and Ace was allowed to be out of his cage if he wanted, though with how it was now Ace preferred to be in there. Well, under circumstances. He just felt more comfortable in there now, seeing it as a kind of.. extra-mini apartment. Him being outside of his cage just made it more likely for his boss to find him also, and he wasn't quite ready to be scolded by the father-figure, even if he did it in his own silly way. The demon figured out how Nikolai got in and out without him knowing, there being a trigger for the bars to release and slide upwards when he clicked a button. Ace had just never searched on his person before for a remote.

Nikolai had been treating him like they were newly weds already, going on about the wonderful things they could do together once he was out of sight for a bit longer, when the police weren't still looking for him. Ace said that they should wait at least for a couple days to have a wedding because of that, and because he wanted to get used to things first. He hadn't been in a serious relationship in a while, at least not with someone who could live as long as he did, so this was something he needed time to adjust to. And Nikolai was surprisingly fine with that.

As long as Ace promised to not go back on the proposal agreement, Nikolai was perfectly fine with everything he did. Soon, they would have a real life together and it would be perfect.

* * *

Things had passed nicely over the course of days, Ace entertaining himself with a little handheld game that Nikolai had brought for him at the moment, not minding that there was much better quality things to play on with today's technology. It was just a little Gameboy but Ace wouldn't stop playing it when he was left at his 'home' alone. Why? Because Nikolai had gotten it just for him, along with games for it, and he would be even more damned than before if he didn't cherish that and use his gifts to the fullest.

He'd had the exact same thoughts on quite a few things since they got together actually. On the first day they kissed, Nikolai had brought him into the washroom and let him get cleaned up, giving him plenty of privacy and space since that's what the man believed his betrothed deserved. It made him happy at the time of course, not wanting the man to see him that way, even if they were meant to be married soon. Save it for wedding night, yeah?

The man had also gifted him with a new wardrobe, some things Ace loved and other things that made him question why someone would even create such hideous attire. But he thanked the man for each little thing and gave him a peck on the cheek for it as well, since they were from him and were bought especially for the demon who certainly didn't deserve it all. Ace currently wore some large jumper his love had gotten him, one a few sizes too big since it kept sliding slightly off of his shoulders and just resting there instead. He huffed and pulled it back up again, adjusting to it just like he did everything else in this place.

Besides the jumpers he'd been given, his lover had a slight sense of humor and perverseness with sticking Ace in things that made him more... feminine? Or, alluring, could be a better fit. The pants he'd been given were awfully tight, along with some shorts that Ace didn't believe he would ever wear unless they somehow grew another inch to them. Nikolai had even tried to stick him in a pair of panties for God knows what reason! The demon kept adamantly saying no to that one until he just gave in and went to the bathroom to put them on, where he instead threw them out the window like any sane person would do. He proceeded to act as if he was uncomfortable throughout the long day, so Nikolai would give in and say he didn't have to wear them anymore.

Ace quickly got what he wanted~

The demon sat down his Gameboy for a moment, pushing himself up and into a sitting position on the soft bed that was hidden in what Ace could imagine being a prop room for the old, rundown theater, now cleared of almost everything except a bed and select few other things to make the room inhabitable and comfy. It was still empty, but he didn't need much, seeing as he'd survived for more than two weeks without even a bathroom... Granted, refusing to eat or drink helped him with that part greatly, but he demanded to shower every other day now that he had access to one.

Ace just sighed as he sat there, unmoving and just staring at one of the pillows in front of him, wondering how life back home was going... Then he chastised himself slightly, telling himself that the place he'd been wasn't home and it still wasn't, not with Nikolai being here. Still, he couldn't imagine how they were doing without him. He had cooked for them, cleaned for them, done nearly everything for them besides bathe them! As much as the demon hated to admit he really had the emotion, already being proved wrong once before, he was worried sick about whether or not they had burned anything yet or gotten hurt without him there to help patch them up. He couldn't even imagine Simon not fainting at the sight of blood, let alone keeping calm and knowing how to fix it. As smart as Simon was, he wasn't a doctor...

These thoughts continued to torment him until there was a soft click that told him Nikolai was coming in, making him pick up the console again and pick up from where he'd been, acting as if nothing had happened. "(Hello)прывітанне. Waifu, have you any fun while I was out?" he asked, having left beforehand to contact someone important, apparently. The man still hadn't told him much about what he did outside of their little home, and who he associated with, but Ace guessed that once he was outside with him he could figure it out, even meet a couple of his friends. They would be going to Nikolai's home town once things were settled, maybe he could find one of those 'childhood friends' that television and movies always showed to be amazing people of character who could spill a million embarrassing tales about his new lover. He wouldn't mind hearing about a time when maybe Nikolai didn't always look blank and was a bit more childish.

"I've had some, not as much as I would have with you here." he said, smiling brightly at the man beside him and sharing a small, innocent kiss. Everything between them had been innocent so far, which still surprised him. Most cases of how this went, that he'd read about, was of the woman or victim consenting and instantly being treated however the captor pleased - which almost always resulted in rape, in one form or another. But Nikolai kept his distance from most things physically perserve, from what the demon could tell.

Said Belorussian was currently looking in his eyes and not showing any emotion once more, making Ace feel as vulnerable as the first time he'd seen those deep violet eyes. His own mint ones were locked on his love's, despite wanting to blink or look back down at his game. "You were sad." he finally said, sitting upright beside him and sliding an arm around Ace's waist to keep him close. "Why?"

The demon shook his head quickly. "I'm not sad, and I wasn't before either. I've been playing the game you got me, see? I beat three bosses today without even trying!" he announced, trying to push off the subject. Nikolai didn't get protective often, but that was probably from him being perfectly safe and confined in the first place. There was nothing to be protective about here. Nikolai just shook his head, resulting in silver hair falling further across his eyes.

"No. You were sad. Now, tell me." he insisted, not about to let him get away with it. Ace tried to think of another lie, something that made sense for him to be a bit depressed, but everything he currently thought up was either illogical, something he obviously wouldn't care about and Nikolai would know that, or something that made him sound weak. And the demon was anything but weak.

He finally sighed, closing his console and tossing it to the side of the sheets as he spoke. "I was thinking of my family again.." he admitted, seeing Nikolai nod, aiming for him to continue and explain. There was a pause before he did just that. "Nikolai.. Do you think they're alright without me? I mean, you watched me for what, a month before you made contact with me? You know how they are, and you know all I did for them... They're still like children. Very young children, now without their second mother." he said, speaking without thinking at first. Once he realized what he had said, he actually felt tears prickle the back of his eyes.

The ravened-brunette didn't think of the adoptive family's mother often, not having been awfully close with her and everyone avoiding the topic.. But he couldn't help feeling saddened by her death. She'd been a human, a species he hates, and one that loathes his kind in return, but she hadn't cared. That woman adopted them all, got them together and made them a family, treating them all as humans and being indifferent to their blatant flaws. Just as a mother should do for her children... Then, as most tragic family's deal with, she contracted an illness and perished from it. The demon wouldn't have cared, he really wouldn't have if not for him being the last one to see her and speak with her before she passed. She's made him promise to take care of them, and so he had. He babied them and cared for them and now he was here, breaking that promise and doing something selfish like this without even telling them that he was alright, and that they should move on from finding him.

Ace didn't realize he had tears running down his cheeks until Nikolai wiped one away, pressing a kiss to his flushed skin and muttering something soothing in Belorussian. The demon didn't know his language, being fluent in normal Russian, though, he could figure something out from context clues every so often. The silver-haired man pulled him into a hug and Ace returned it, curling up to his chest and into his lap, actually feeling safe there.

"Do not worry, they are fine.. Worried, of course, but fine. I still have contact." he told him, looking down at his betrothed to see the demon surprised.

"You're watching them now, like you did before?" he asked, getting a nod in return. Ace, despite feeling a bit sick from knowing that, was relieved. At least like this he could know that his family was safe and sound, even if they did wonder where he was. He almost wished that he could just use telepathy and let Simon know where he was, how he was doing, and allow the second-eldest to tell the rest of his brothers so they would stop worrying. But sadly, that wasn't one of his powers. He'd tried to gain it, but with no one knowing a real form of training for such a thing, he hadn't quite managed to get it, and ended up with a headache on more than one occasion from trying.

"Alright.. As long as they're safe, they'll get over me. I know they can handle themselves when they need to." Ace said to himself, repeating it over and over again as Nikolai laid down on the bed with him and curled up under the blankets, comforting the demon until both of them fell half-asleep on the sheets in content.

* * *

Another day passed, and Ace was alone in his cage. Nikolai telling him that he wouldn't be back until late that night, and that he had something he needed to do. Ace was almost uninterested to hear what it was at the moment, but he asked anyway out of courtesy. Turns out, Nikolai had a very similar job to the one Ace had, but without supernatural help or phenomenon. Nikolai admitted that he only did it for some extra pocket-change while they were in Sweden, only getting excess money from his boss after they did something politically good with another country.

Once Ace figured out his job, he couldn't help himself from asking how Nikolai's assignments went, and how the people were killed or asking what would happen to the ones that were meant to be kept alive. It delayed Nikolai for nearly an hour until finally the Belarusian left, having places to be and people to maim. But Ace knew that his lover didn't really mind, probably overjoyed on the inside that he'd taken interest in something the man did.

The rest of his day was filled with nothing in particular, the demon roaming the abandoned theater he'd began calling home, tidying up since things outside of his cage and the areas Nikolai occupied were horribly unclean to him. Yes, he was partially a clean freak, but in situations like this it did help distract him and let the time go by as he made everything spotless... Well, made it look the best he could. It was still a beaten up, rundown theater that hadn't seen a show run in probably 50 years, or more. Explains why someone had the time to build his cage in here... Still hadn't figured out who built it and why. Ace made a mental note to ask Nikolai once he was done with work, going back to exploring and mapping out where everything was in case he felt a need to use something later.

Finally he heard shuffling from the direction of the entrance, which was odd since Nikolai was so quiet. Whenever the man didn't speak he was practically a ghost moving around, shoes barely making taps to the floor as he walked. It was interesting to see such a big man make such small sounds. But at the moment, he wasn't concerned in the least, thinking Nikolai was the only one to bother ever coming in. With how bad this place looked on the inside he could only imagine the state of the outside. He calmly waited for his love to see him, noticing that it was dim outside but not dark like he'd expected. The demon hummed softly, stretching his arms above his head as he called towards the door. "Hun, you're early. Did something happen while you were out?" he announced, hearing silence in return and growing confused, until he finally caught the scent of who was with him.

It wasn't his lover, it was a human. A filthy, stinky human that he had not detected, probably from having his senses dulled in this boring place. He looked to the man that stood before him, he was holding a clipboard at his side, mouth agape as he marvelled at the intricate cage and small man in front of him. Obviously, just as Ace was, the man was surprised to see him. After shifting his eyes over a word or two he caught on the clipboard, the man was a worker coming to inspect the building and probably have it knocked down for a newer building to be made and put into use.

A noble cause, leading the man to a ignoble end. What could one expect? This was Ace's home until they got moving, and now that the man had saw what was inside, the minute he notified his superiors what he'd found, the police would be all over and invading his space... Along with taking him home and locking his love up in prison or something worse. He couldn't allow that to happen, and as a first response, he'd taken care of the stranger. He grabbed the stocky man's ankles and dragged him down to an area of the stage that had a trap door, more than likely for one of the daring 'escape' scenes in a drama, and let him fall through it before securely locking it up. "Looks like we'll have to move our plans ahead by a couple days.. No problem I suppose." he muttered, glancing at the large cage and building that he'd been trapped in. This was home to him now, but unlike how he'd been taken from his previous one, he'd now have to leave this one behind for his own interests.

At least, for now, they were safe. The nuisance was gone and they just had to get out before the man's boss worried for his well-being and sent a search party.


	7. A Brand New Life

The minute Ace told Nikolai what happened that night, the violet-eyed man was packing what little he had kept there for him and was calling his boss, letting him know that he and a companion would be coming back to his country in a matter of hours. It was amazing to see him move so quickly after being so content on keeping Ace there for as long as the demon was comfortable. Sadly, whether they were content or not, there plans had been changed and it was time to head 'home'.

That word was beginning to lose meaning to the demon at this point, but he figured once he stayed at Nikolai's actual house for a month, maybe the meaning would come back and he would be content again. He let that be a comfort as he looked at the two suitcases holding his closes, a carry-on Nikolai bought prior for when they were ready to leave, now holding Ace's small game console to use while they were stuck on the plane, and another suitcase that held his captor's own belongings.

Yup, they were ready to go. Everything packed and nestled away safely for them to go. Ace and Nikolai grabbed some bags each, heading out to the front and calling a cab to take them to the airport where a private jet was waiting for the personified nation and his fiance. The demon carelessly threw his own bags into the trunk, turning and looking up at the bedraggled building in front of him for a long moment, only regaining attention when Nikolai touched his hand.

"Ready?" the man asked, seeing Ace stare at the building again. He'd been memorizing how it looked for the moment, and also taking it exact where it was on the street, what street they were on and so on. He just wanted to remember thoroughly how they had been brought together, however odd and annoying it had been at the start. "Yeah, just... Lemme go do something real quick." he muttered, seeing Nikolai watch him carefully before releasing his hand and letting Ace trot back into the building on his own. Despite Nikolai having a sudden fear that he would run away from him, the man got into the back-seat, demanding that the cab-driver wait another minute for his fiance.

Inside the theater, Ace was rummaging through a box he'd found under the stage not too long after he was allowed to wander around, wanting to explore every inch of the building. In the box, small and smelling stale, was a container of old lamp oil, allowing Ace to guess just how long this theater had actually been around. He sighed, almost wanting to just run out and leave this place as it was... But his old wisdom came back and he knew he had to take every precaution to make sure him and Nikolai weren't found out. He took the old, spread it around quite well and finally set it aflame, running out to the cab and sliding into the car casually, letting the driver know they could leave now.

Without another word, they were on there way to the airport and Ace was glad he'd spread the oil generously and only in patches, letting the building go aflame casually instead of in an uproar. If he hadn't the cab-driver might have stopped and become suspicious. But it was only spewing flames by the moment Ace and Nikolai were walking into the airport and getting their bags checked, putting them in the clear for the crime and letting Ace be content that this section of his life was over. He could always come back sometime and look where it had been, to see how in it's place something else had become of it.

The demon never mentioned to his partner what he had done, but the watchful, worrying look the man gave him every so often on the plane ride let him know that he already was well aware of what he'd done. And Nikolai wouldn't judge him for that, or even question. The bridge between his life with his family and his life with Nikolai was gone, only leaving him in the present with his memories instead.

Nikolai grabbed his hand as Ace leaned on his shoulder, an hour away from his new, permanent home. Soon, he would be Ace Arlofsky, husband of Nikolai Arlofsky, and partner to the country of Belarus.

* * *

Five months after the initial kidnapping of their brother, Simon and the others sat in their living room, continuing on with life the only way they could. The police had told them that they'd done everything they could, and if they noticed someone of Ace's description anywhere in the country of Japan they would alert the family, but after three months they had simply given up.

Simon had tried to take over Ace's place of caring for them, but they all knew he couldn't do it as well as the second youngest. He'd forced his way into their lives and made them love him like family, all of them, and now he was gone and probably dead. Raven absently listened to Jace try and explain the game mechanics of some new title to Alex, but the youngest was harder paying attention, staring at the controller as he clutched his little cloth rabbit.

Almost none of them noticed the knock on the door, but Simon felt like he had to move and do  _something_ before he became fused to the couch and went insane. He opened the door to see one of their family friends standing there, his face a bit pale though he looked like he'd been crying. The blonde didn't really say anything as he handed the letter he carried to Simon, who looked at it in confusion. "What do you want me to do with this?" he asked, not seeing why their 'friend' would come bring them their mail.

The blonde shook his head, flipping it over and pointing to where the return-address should be, all it said was 'Ace' with any other information not being given. The brother dropped to his knees as he looked at it, alerting Raven to something being wrong and making him rush over, grabbing the letter and opening it to see what it said.

There wasn't much, but for them it meant everything. They had hope.

_'Dear Simon, Raven, Jace, Parker and Alex~_

_I know what you must think happened to me, and I know I took much too long to contact you... But I'm alive._

_I'm alive and well, and even though it's hard to believe, I've found someone that makes me happy here. I cannot tell you where I am, I just can't, but I wanted you to know that I'm sorry for not making it back to you. If I could have gotten away before certain things happened, I would be back home with you right now.. But I'm very far from you at the moment, and I want you to stop mourning for me, if you ever did. I don't want you to be sad for me when nothings wrong._

_I'm with a loving man, I have a comfortable life, and somehow I've managed to make friends where I am. I wish you could see me and come visit my new home, but.. I can't trust myself to not leave this place if I get to be with all of you again._ _I'm sorry for sending this letter out to Zeke, instead of you personally, but I thought it would be harder to back-track that way._

_I hope you know, I still want you all to be safe and happy. I miss you too much for words._

_And one last thing. Tell Alex, I still love him far too much.. and to forget about me._   ** _-Ace'_**


End file.
